The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-12-02
. BRANWELL BRONTE.

IOoE. ucpFaNed, DrllilanL Branwel
| Bronte! In history or fiction, what name
IA there that calls forth more pity, admir-
alton and contempt than that OF the
| gifted brother of the Bronte sisters
| Though = bitter trial 10 them, he was, in
| directly, the means OF bringing their
| genius into life.
Had not the brother so wretchedlv
! failed to fulfill the exceptional promise
| Of his youth, in ail likelihood the world
/ would never have thrilled at the reading
| OF "Janc Eyre" or shuddered over
| "Wuthering Heights"
| Like his sisters he was small of hoiv
! but with dlSproportIOnately large head
! covered with red hair, and face much
! freCkled; no- besutiiul, but witty, pas
| siOnate and gifted. Indeed, so complex
! was his temperament, so varied and pc
Cuiiar 3 moral organization, it is dilh-
! cult 10 regard him as wholly sane: the
| wild exc"sses Of his later years, when he
/ gave himself up TO drink and the use 81
| opium, strengthen If not altogether Iou,
! firm this suppDsItion.
This boy, the idol of his sisters. grzv
! Up unres.rdined and without guidance
/ from his father, who indeed, paid little or
no attention u his children, further than
! to know they war. alive and well, in. q
little, unintercsting village whose ideas
ami resources were a. contracted as it,
streets, as prlnityely plain and uncouta
- Its houses. It's only place OF recreation
was the village tavern; there Branweil
contracted habits that blighted his sisters
lives, ruined his own, bringing him TO q
premature grave, and turned the peace
iul parsonage into q hell
The limit OF agony in which ono per
son may involve his family is well nigh
boundleSs, but It must have been fully
realized in the Bronte household through
BranwcL Genius without restraint Tx
runaway horses, generally ends IL
smash-up, and thus it was with this
highly imaginative youth, with his Won
dcrIul lntuiuyc power OF graspinC Al idea
or SITUATION IN ITS completeness thai
was astonishing.
Whenever there happened TO beca
traveller staying over night It tn
HaTOrth Inn, II was the landlords CTS
tom to send for "th' wears Patrick" as
he was called by the villagers, 10 come
AMI entertain his guest through the Iona
hours oI the evening, by his brilliant Wit
and ready conversation.
At thcse meetings there vas aI7-ayz
big bowl OF smoking punch 10 quicken
the spirits OF the company, which was
never neglected by the unfortunate
youth.
The following is told as an example a.
his accurate knowledge OF places he had
never visited:
NS-A- A4A--A4LB III tDllR ltll WIN ? ChIl-
ueman from London about the CIT
young Broute mentioned the exfstau..
ul an Insignificant DyStreet or alley hv
winch one could make = short cut from
one prominent part Vi the citv 10 anatu
er, apparently 50 familiar was he VII
It's location and characteristics. that IN,
gentleman was greatly surprised 10 heaf
that lie had never visited the phase bu.
derived MS knowledge from books aur
conversation with travellers ike himse!F.
IL IS also sand that he could write two let.
ters at the same time, one with ca-l
hand 10 different individuals on ,IIcr
ent subjects; be that as II may. his .e!
Ea-l.ltc was variation itself, and Lis liter
arr ability Of q high order IS S cyi.cll
ht rs carrier letters especially one wr-t.
- - n ne w. about seventeen ID tht
poet Southev, as-lnC advice as 70 Ia,
pFactIcaDA!ty Vi beginning a literar,
career.
lie had also much ability as an artist
and II was ms fathers intention 10 seuC
hIm 10 London for instruction. but ks
probably saw. when the time came, that
Eranwcu could not be trusted in the
great city where his wild habits would
have opportunity for greater swing, for
the boy was never sent.
II IS not necessary to repeat here the
story OF hIs life, OF his guilty love and
wretched downfall; of those long days
H-u nights oi hopeless misery TO himself
nnl his family, OF his mad rawlings anu
outoursts OF temper, and the degradation
INTO which he sank lower, each depth
SeeinIng 10 open others still more awful.
II. he died despaIr!ng, lost
We do not expect agility from
cripple, but are disappointed when the
athlete fails IN his promise neither j.
s"Iitness looked Tor IN a cart-horse. but a
thorough bred must have a good record.
80 II IS with niUs. From those to
whom nature is most lavish in the be
stowai OF her gifts, much is expected,
and this poor, unfortunate youth. unfor-
tunate IN that same nature, so proIigal in
her endowments 10 him, had withheld
the one faculty OF seli-restraint, was. like
rucderless ship, or an army without =
lea Ter, doomed to certain wreck. Yet.
while resretting his culpable misuse OF
talent, and Iamenting his uutimelv death.
We condemn him most for what he did
not 10.